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1. ACTION REQUIRED: REQUEST (STATION/ CONTACT FORMER EMPLOYEE
WHO RETIRED UNDER COVER AND RESIDES IN KA

* 2. IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE PRESIDENT<JFK ASSASSINATION>
RECORDS. COLLECTION ACT OF 1992, HQS REQUESTS STATION’S ASSISTANCE
IN DELIVERING THE INFORMATION BELOW TO IDEN.

4 MARCH 1997
DEAR COLLEAGUE:

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT YOUR NAME APPEARS IN DOCUMENTS THAT ARE
BEING REVIEWED FOR RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC UNDER PUBLIC LAW 102-526
*OF 26 OCTOBER 1992, THE PRESIDENT<JOHN>F.<KENNEDY ASSASSINATION>
RECORDS COLLECTION ACT OF 1992. THIS MANDATES THE PUBLIC RELEASE
OF ALL INFORMATION IN THESE DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING YOUR NAME WHERE
IT APPEARS, UNLESS THE ORIGINATING AGENCY CAN PROVE BY CLEAR AND
CONVINCING EVIDENCE TO A PRESIDENTIALLY-APPOINTED BOARD THAT ONE -
OR MORE LIMITED EXCEPTIONS APPLY. EVEN THEN, THE RELEASE OF THE
INFORMATION MAY ONLY BE POSTPONED FOR NO MORE THAN 25 YEARS.
THOSE EXCEPTIONS AS THEY APPEAR IN THE ACT FOLLOW. THE ACT IS
VERY PRO-RELEASE AND REQUIRES A BALANCING OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

UNDER THE BOARD’S INTERPRETATION OF THE ACT, YOUR NAME CANNOT
BE REDACTED FROM THE DOCUMENTS TO BE RELEASED UNLESS WE CAN ;
PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT THIS RELEASE WOULD POSE A CREDIBLE THREAT TO
YOU PERSONALLY, YOUR FAMILY, OR ANY SENSITIVE ACTIVITY OR
PERSON(S) YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH IN THE PAST. IF YOU
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BELIEVE THAT ANY OF THESE CONCERNS WOULD BE. ‘SED FROM THE .PUBLIC
RELEASE OF YOUR NAME, PLEASE CONTACT (BE _AT (703) 356-0285

COMPELLING CASE CAN BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD. (SEE FOLLOWING
‘GROUNDS FOR POSTPONEMENT OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OR RECORDS.) IF THE
BOARD ORDERS THE RELEASE OF YOUR NAME, ITS RULING CAN BE REVERSED
ONLY BY THE PRESIDENT. BECAUSE THE BOARD MUST COVER HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOCUMENTS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, IT WILL BE
CONSIDERING DOCUMENTS AT AN ACCELERATING PACE AND WE CANNOT.
PROJECT WHEN IT MAY REVIEW A DOCUMENT CONTAINING YOUR NAME. :
THEREFORE, PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF APPROPRIATE.

’ : ‘ SINCERELY,

(SIGNED (BETH MILLS)

FOLLOWS ARE THE ‘GROUNDS FOR POSTPONEMENT OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF
RECORDS:

*DISCLOSURE OF<ASSASSINATION>RECORDS OR PARTICULAR INFORMATION IN
* <ASSASSINATION>RECORDS TO THE PUBLIC MAY BE POSTPONED. SUBJECT TO
THE LIMITATIONS OF THIS ACT IF THERE IS CLEAR AND CONVINCING
EVIDENCE THAT--

(1) THE THREAT TO THE MILITARY DEFENSE, INTELLIGENCE
OPERATIONS, OR CONDUCT OF FOREIGN: RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES
*POSED BY THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE<ASSASSINATION>IS OF SUCH
GRAVITY THAT IT OUTWEIGHS THE PUBLIC INTEREST, AND SUCH PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE WOULD REVEAL- -

(A) AN INTELLIGENCE AGENT WHOSE IDENTITY CURRENTLY REQUIRES
PROTECTION :

(B) AN INTELLIGENCE SOURCE OR METHOD WHICH IS CURRENTLY
UTILIZED,

BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND WHICH HAS NOT BEEN
OFFICIALLY

DISCLOSED, THE DISCLOSURE OF WHICH WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE

CONDUCT OF INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES; OR

(C) ANY OTHER MATTER CURRENTLY RELATING TO THE MILITARY

DEFENSE,
_ INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS OR CONDUCT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS OF
THE
UNITED STATES, THE DISCLOSURE OF WHICH WOULD DEMONSTRABLY .
IMPAIR

THE NATIONAL SECURITY. OF THE UNITED STATES.

* (2). THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE<ASSASSINATION>RECORD WOULD
REVEAL THE NAME OR IDENTITY OF A LIVING PERSON WHO PROVIDED
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION TO THE UNITED STATES AND WOULD POSE A
SUBSTANTIAL RISK TO THAT PERSON;

* (3) THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE<ASSASSINATION>RECORD COULD
REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO CONSTITUTE AN UNWARRANTED INVASION OF
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PERSONAL PRIVACY, AND THAT INVASION OF PRIVACY IS SO SUBSTANTIAL
THAT IT OUTWEIGHS THE PUBLIC INTEREST;

* (4) THE. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE<ASSASSINATION>RECORD WOULD
COMPROMISE THE EXISTENCE OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF CONFIDENTIALITY
‘CURRENTLY REQUIRING PROTECTION BETWEEN A GOVERNMENT AGENT AND A
COOPERATING INDIVIDUAL OR A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT, AND PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE WOULD BE SO HARMFUL THAT IT OUTWEIGHS THE ‘PUBLIC
INTEREST; OR .
* (5) THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE<ASSASSINATION>RECORD WOULD
REVEAL A SECURITY OR PROTECTIVE PROCEDURE CURRENTLY UTILIZED, OR
REASONABLY EXPECTED TO BE UTILIZED, BY THE SECRET SERVICE OR |
ANOTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS, AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE WOULD BE SO HARMFUL THAT IT
OUTWEIGHS THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

3. IF (STATIOW WANTS, YOU MAY OFFER IDEN THE POSSIBILITY OF
Common TCRT NG WITH HEADQUARTERS VIA ‘RATHER THAN BY
TELEPHONE OR LETTER. IN MANY CASES THE RESPONSE CONTAINS
SENSITIVE IF NOT CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. ALL PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
OF THIS LETTER HAVE HAD CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS; FOLLOWING ARE
ANSWERS TO SOME OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

*A. WHY IS MY NAME IN THE<JFK ASSASSINATION>RECORDS?

WE DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY BUT YOUR NAME MAY HAVE BEEN MENTIONED IN A
CABLE OR DOCUMENT, OR YOU MAY HAVE COORDINATED OR SIGNED A CABLE
*OR DOCUMENT WITH REFERENCE TO THE<ASSASSINATION. >

B. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

IT MEANS YOUR NAME WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC RELEASE OF ALL
*DOCUMENTS PERTINENT TO THE<ASSASSINATION. > THE DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN
RELEASED TO THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
(NARA) WITH THE NAME REMOVED AND IF WE:-DO NOT MAKE A COMPELLING
CASE THE PRESIDENTIAL BOARD WILL RELEASE NEW VERSIONS OF THE
DOCUMENTS WITH THE NAMES. THE FIRST REVIEW OF NAMES WILL BE THIS
SUMMER AND IT WILL CONTINUE AS DOCUMENTS ARE REVIEWED. ONCE THE
BOARD RULES THE DOCUMENTS IN QUESTION MUST BE RELEASED IN 30: DAYS.

C. WHAT EXACTLY DOES "RELEASE" MEAN?

IT MEANS THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE DOCUMENT VIA

NARA. THERE ARE PROFESSIONAL RESEARCHERS WAITING FOR ACCESS TO .
THE MATERIAL SO THAT THEY CAN RESEARCH THE VARIOUS CONSPIRACY

THEORIES. WE KNOW OF SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL MOST LIKELY PUT

THE INFORMATION IN COMPUTER SYSTEMS SO IT CAN BE EASILY SEARCHED.

D. WHAT IF. I DON’T WANT MY NAME RELEASED?

YOU AND WE WILL HAVE TO CONVINCE THE PRESIDENTIALLY APPOINTED

REVIEW BOARD THAT YOUR SITUATION MEETS THE CRITERIA PROVIDED IN

THE GROUNDS FOR POSTPONEMENT OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS. (TO

BE ABSOLUTELY FRANK, THIS IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DO AND THE

VERY FEW CASES WHICH WE HAVE. WON HAVE BEEN BASED ON VERY SPECIFIC
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AND COMPELLING REASONS. )

E. WHAT DO I DO NEXT? :

IF RELEASE OF YOUR NAME IS NOT A PROBLEM, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO
ANYTHING. IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR NAME RELEASED, YOU NEED TO
‘ADVISE US OF THAT FACT AND EXPLAIN IN DETAIL WHY RELEASE WOULD BE
HARMFUL TO YOU AND NATIONAL SECURITY. WE HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST
RELEASE ON THE PRINCIPLE OF THE COVER MECHANISM WITHOUT SUCCESS TO
DATE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE THE EFFORT. THE BOARD HAS NOT BEEN AND
IS NOT LIKELY TO BECOME SYMPATHETIC TO A PRINCIPLE BASED

ARGUMENT .

F. IF MY NAME IS RELEASED, WHAT ABOUT MY COVER STATUS?
THE IMPACT OF THE RELEASE OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF YOUR TRUE NAME
AND THE AGENCY WILL HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT CAREFULLY TO DETERMINE
THE VIABILITY OF CONTINUED COVER PROTECTION.
___FILE: NONE... CL. By: 2224018, CL REASON
'X1,.-DRW-FROM: HUM 4-82.
CABLETYPE: GECO STAFF 4.0.1.>
,RELNO: DORELSO100638618 i
‘ORIG: CHIER/OCC(WILIMSC, 32357); AUTH: _DC/OCC; REL: “EAs. /

L{ KNOWLTON) ..4

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